King's Cross
by DesaraSoleil
Summary: Harry Potter is very nervous about his first day of Hogwarts. But this time, his family is right there to make sure it'll be the first step to a great year. AU/OneShot


01/19/12 Edit: So after rereading and some helpful comments I decided to rework this piece. I added more of our favorite characters and more about Harry's thoughts on Hogwarts. I think it turned out very nicely but that's for you judge.

I had a whole intro here that I can't remember and accidently deleted so... Read, Enjoy, Review! ^_^

**Disclaimer:** J.K. Rowling and sections from _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone _and _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows_.

* * *

Harry James Potter walked through King's Cross, tensely pushing his trolley. You see, this was going to be Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and he was unduly nervous. He felt a hand reach over and touch his shoulder. He looked up at his mother, her warm almond eyes laden with concern and an encouraging smile.

"You okay there, Harry?" she asked. The young boy smiled half- heartedly and vigorously nodded his head.

"Of course he is, Lily," said the young boy's grinning father from behind them, "He's going to Hogwarts, get himself sorted into Gryffindor, and then become the greatest wizard in the world…Besides his old man of course! What could be the problem?"

Lily turned her head back to her husband with a slight frown on her face and a glare in her green eyes. "James! Don't get started! This is a very important day for our Harry. There's no need for you to get him any more anxious than he already is," she turned back to her raven-haired son, "And, Harry, you can be in any house you want. We'll be proud of you no matter what."

"Well of course we will, Lily," said James Potter, dismissing her words. "We'd just prefer Gryffindor."

"And if you end up in Slytherin we'll disown you!" said a young girl's voice.

"Be quiet Ariana," snapped Harry. He turned his head around to glare at his little sister who was saddled on their father's back. The blond-haired little girl simply stuck out her tongue in retaliation.

"Now don't start that now, you two. Come on, Platform 9 and ¾ is right over here," said Lily, steering her family along before turning to her husband. "I didn't marry you because you were in Gryffindor, you know?"

James Potter clutched his heart and widened his eyes in shock. "You didn't? So the past 12 years of our marriage have been a lie?" He looked over at Ariana, "Can you believe that? You think you know a person."

As they walked, Harry still couldn't shake off his sister's words. She knew just what got under his skin (though he was just as capable, having convinced her she was adopted for three solid weeks) and his Sorting was one of those many things. But there was really nothing to worry about: of course he would end up in Gryffindor. It was in his blood. But still, what if he ended up in the wrong house, the young Potter wondered, he still didn't know how the sorting worked. Would he fail this unknown test? Would his parents, most especially his dad, be okay with it?

The Potters made their way towards the magical barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. Harry stared skeptically at what seemed to be a very solid-looking brick wall. "And you're completely sure I'm supposed to walk _through_ the barrier?" said Harry as he fretfully ran his fingers through his messy black hair.

"Now what's the Platform number?" said a short, plump red-haired woman coming in their direction. She was holding a little girl around Arianna's age by the hand followed by four boys, all with the same flaming red hair.

"Nine and three- quarters!" said the girl. "Mum, can't I go..."

You're not old enough, Ginny, now please be quiet," the woman scolded. She looked up and noticed the Potters. She glanced at the caged owl on Harry's trolley and smiled warmly at the family. "Why, hello there! First year at Hogwarts?"

Mrs. Potter smiled back and replied, "Hi and yes it is. Harry's a bit nervous about getting on to the platform." She gave her son a comforting squeeze on the shoulder and Harry smiled back at the red-haired family, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Ah, well there's no real need to worry! It's Ron's first time to," she said, gesturing to a tall boy with a long nose around Harry's age. "Would you like to see the boys go through first?" Before Harry could reply she commanded to her eldest son, "All right Percy, you go first."

The tallest red- headed boy guided his trolley towards the barrier wall. Harry kept his eyes focused on the boy, determined not to miss a thing. Percy walked briskly towards the barrier and simply vanished behind a horde of travelers. Harry blinked a few times, wondering what he missed since it couldn't possibly have been that easy.

"_Wicked_," whispered Ariana.

"See Harry, nothing to it," said his father with a wide grin as he ruffled his son's hair. The Potters watched the next two boys, a pair of rambunctious twins, disappear through the barrier effortlessly. There was really nothing to it. There was only the youngest son left when Mr. Potter suggested, "Why don't you two go next?"

Harry couldn't think up a good enough excuse not to. He looked at the barrier wall then at the boy named Ron. The boy gave a shrug of agreement which said, _We go or they throw us through_.

"Okay," Harry replied with a nervous nod.

The two first year boys set their trolleys next to each other a few yards in front of the barrier.

"Don't worry about crashing, boys," said Lily, clearly anxious. "You won't."

"Best do it in a bit of a run if you're nervous," advised the plump woman.

"Good luck," said the younger sisters in unison.

The boys nodded mutely and began walking towards the barrier. They started to gain speed with Harry just a head. He was getting closer now, and the wall didn't seem to be getting any less solid. Harry had no control over the trolley now and was held at the mercy of the wall in front of him. When he was just a foot away Harry closed his eyes, wondering just how much crashing into a brick wall would hurt...

But Harry ran on and he eventually opened his bright green eyes. He was standing on a platform, packed with people. Next to the platform was an impressive scarlet steam engine. "Wow," he breathed. He turned around to find Ron, a look of relief on his face. They smiled triumphantly at each other.

Behind the boys, Mr. Potter and his daughter arrived, giggling joyfully, then Mrs. Potter and the plump woman talking animatedly with the red- haired girl in tow. The Potters waved good- bye to the ginger family and made their way towards the train.

"Come on Harry, I'll help you get your trunk on," Harry's father offered. James Potter put his daughter down, much to her dismay, and picked up Harry's trunk with overdone bravado as if he was lifting 200 pounds. The kids laughed and Lily simply rolled her eyes at her husband. Harry picked up the cage of his snowy owl and followed his dad onto the train. The raven- haired pair hauled the luggage into an empty compartment at the back of the train.

Dropping the trunk in the overhead compartment, James took a seat and gestured towards his son. "Come on Harry, let's sit and have a chat," he offered.

Harry looked curiously at his father, but indulged him and took the seat across from him. His father appeared oddly serious and Harry never disobeyed when his father was serious. It was an amusing sight, father and son, practically identical, staring at each other with pensive expressions.

"How are you doing, Harry?" James asked. Harry opened his mouth to answer but he could tell 'fine' wouldn't cut it here. Instead, the young boy sighed and gave a shrug.

"I don't know, Dad. I guess I'm just… nervous," Harry grumbled as he examined the stiches at the knee of his father's jeans.

James chuckled. "Relax, Harry. I promise you, Hogwarts is going to be," he took a dramatic pause as if there wasn't a word in the world to describe it, "Unforgettable. Unforgettable in the most amazing way possible."

Harry smiled. He was well aware of his father's unforgettable experiences. Marauder Tales made the perfect bedtime stories. They heard the best ones when mom wasn't home. "I know Dad, and I believe you, but still. What if it doesn't end up as great for me as it was for you? What if I'm in the wrong house? What if I don't get on the Quidditch team? What if I really suck at magic? And why are you laughing at me?" All the worries Harry had accumulated since the day he received his Hogwarts letter were pouring out now, and Harry wasn't sure how he felt about his father chuckling as he had a nervous breakdown.

"I'm sorry son, but I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing because I know that no matter what you _are_ going to make a name for yourself. No matter what, as long as you focus on being Harry Potter and being the best man you can be, you'll always make the right decisions. Understand?"

Harry nodded, and gave his father a smile that said a million things, 'Thanks and I love you' included.

"Well if that wasn't the best father-son speech I ever heard then snap my wand and call me muggle." The two Potters looked up to find a handsome man with a wide, wolfish grin leaning against the compartment door with a cool air neither would be able to achieve in either of their lifetimes.

"Sirius!" they smiled. Harry ran over to give his godfather a hug. "We thought you weren't coming!"

"Not come? And miss my godson's first day of becoming the most amazing wizard, after me, on Earth? A thousand dementors couldn't stop me! Now a few veelas on the other hand…"

The group leapt off the train to find Lily consoling a pouting Ariana. "Come on now honey, you know you can't go to Hogwarts yet until your old enough."

"But that's in two _years_! I want to go _now_!" the little girl said with crossed arms. She furiously blinked back tears that were sparkling in her big blue eyes.

"Don't cry Ariana," said Harry soothingly. He just realized how much he was going to miss his little sister no matter how annoying she was. He rested a hand on her head and ruffled her fair hair. It was smooth and straight, very unlike his own. "I'll bring you back a souvenir... and I'll write every week like Mum told me to. Honest."

"You'd better," said Ariana and her mother.

"And try not to cause any trouble," said his father in a tone that was nowhere near as stern as it should have been. Harry grinned up at his dad, thinking about the going away present he had given him when his mother wasn't looking.

"I'll try Dad," he replied. "A Potter _never_ gets into trouble."

Sirius barked an unabashed laugh that attracted a lot of attention. Lily Potter glared suspicious and was about to say something referring to school rules and staying out of trouble when the whistle sounded.

"Oh," groaned Mrs. Potter as she turned to give her son a hug and kiss, tears welling in her eyes. "Be good, Harry. Have a great year. I love you!"

"Love you too Mum," he said, both embarrassed and happy to say it before he left.

"Good luck, Harry," said James as he gave his son a bear hug. "It'll be great, you'll see. And, whatever you do, don't get caught." He said with a wink and Harry smiled. "Now go on, go on!"

Harry's godfather gave his hair one final tousle and a hearty wink before Harry ran for the train and headed towards his compartment. When he opened the door he realized someone was already there to meet him. . It was round- faced boy with a toad in one hand and a trunk in the other. A large grin spread across Harry's face. "Neville!"

The boy looked up and grinned back at his best friend. "Hey Harry! It took me ages to find you! We would have met you guys on the platform, but you know how my Gran can get," he said with a roll of his eyes. The boys laughed and Harry felt slightly more at ease with his childhood friend by his side.

The train began to move. Harry and Neville stuck their heads out of the window to get their last looks at their families. Neville's parents stood with the Potters, his mother smiling as she held back tears , his father brimming with pride and his grandmother whacking Sirius with her purse for something inappropriate he had probably said. Harry noticed the red- headed boys' mother waving at her sons too, their little sister chasing after the train with tears streaking down her face.

His parents were beaming at him and Ariana waved with tears running down her cheeks.

"Bye Ari! Don't cry. See you at Christmas!"

"And don't forget to write and tell us everything!"

"Say hey to Moony for me! And Dumbledore if you get the chance!"

"And you better teach me some magic when you get back!"

"Got it! Bye!"

Harry tried not to blink as he waved frantically at the family he was leaving behind. They waved back, smiling and calling out words Harry could no longer hear. He watched and waved until the train finally turned the corner.

_It's going to be a good year_, Harry decided then and there. Besides, he always had a family, waiting for him.


End file.
